


october 27

by winderland



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Birthday Fluff, Long-Distance Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-27
Updated: 2017-10-27
Packaged: 2019-01-25 04:44:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 754
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12523260
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/winderland/pseuds/winderland
Summary: Sicheng is going to spend his birthday alone.





	october 27

Sicheng sighs as he comes through the door of the tiny studio apartment that has been his home for the last month and a half, dropping his training bag on the floor by his shoes. Today’s practice was kept short because it’s Saturday, but he still feels more tired than he has all week, muscles either numb or sore (or both). Opening night is still three weeks away, and he knows that when it comes closer he’ll be slowly filled with energy, adrenaline constantly bubbling quietly under the surface, growing and growing till near explosive levels until he finally sets his foot on that stage, but right now the daily grind of his job feels as mundane and gruelling as a blue collar nine-to-five.

He sinks down on his bed slash couch and digs out the TV remote from under the pillow, finding one of the cheap sitcoms he has grown fond of during his time here. He likes having them on in the background, the flowing chatter of Mandarin hitting something deep and old inside of him, something grounding him in this strange feeling of rootlessness. Being back in China shouldn’t make him feel like a stranger, but it’s been a long time since Beijing was home.

The studio is a temporary sublet, arranged for him by the board of the troupe. It’s fully furnished and he only brought his basic necessities from Korea, fitting into two suitcases. Getting a part in a major dance production is a huge opportunity and Sicheng barely hesitated before accepting the offer, even if it meant leaving his apartment, his boyfriend and most of his friends behind across the sea for several months. It hasn’t been that bad so far, what with modern technology - texting, SNS and video calls always readily available - they don’t feel so far away. 

Today is a bit different though - his steps a little heavier, chores a little duller, a faint lump of _something_ in his chest. And Sicheng can’t find anything to attribute it to other than the fact that it’s October 27th.

He sighs again and flops over to his side, pulling his knees up towards his chest. He feels a bit silly - he hasn’t cared about his birthday since Middle School. But he has never been alone like this. They have tomorrow off, and he hasn’t really got close to his co-workers yet - realizes, with a little sting in his belly, that he barely knows anyone in this city.

Whatever. He’ll take a shower, get some take-out, (and some ice cream, a voice inside him adds,) then he’ll call Jaehyun.

He has just dried off and thrown on some clothes when his doorbell rings, a shrill, buzzing sound that he mostly associates with food deliveries. Sicheng scratches his head and crosses over to pull the door open - freezing with his mouth half open when finding an all-too familiar face grinning at him in the hallway outside.

“Hi,” Jaehyun says.

“What-” Sicheng stutters. “How- Why are you-”

Jaehyun chuckles, the sound so much clearer when not filtered through a phoneline, and Sicheng didn’t realize how much he missed hearing it in real life.

“I got to take Monday off, and found a discounted plane ticket because of the short notice-” He’s cut off there, mouth muffled against Sicheng’s shoulder as Sicheng steps forward and winds his arms around Jaehyun’s neck. His small bag drops to the floor, hands circling Sicheng’s waist, squeezing tight. 

“You could have said something,” Sicheng mutters against his ear after a minute, distantly aware of the wide grin smeared across his face which is probably not going anywhere anytime soon.

Jaehyun pulls back to look at him, a distinct pout on his lips. “I thought this would be more romantic.”

Sicheng snorts. “You’re so cheesy,” he says and kisses him.

 

 

Later, when they’re lying squeezed together in the narrow bed, naked legs tangled, Jaehyun has a clock pulled up on his phone screen, eyes following the slimmest hand swiftly ticking its way around the circle. 

Sicheng lies with the tip of his nose against Jaehyun’s cheek, mostly concentrating on the warmth radiating off his skin and the faint, familiar smell that is not shampoo or cologne but simply, deeply _Jaehyun_. Still, he sees, through the corner of his half-lidded eyes, how the sweep hand approaches and, in the blink of an eye, passes the notch at the top of the clock.

“Midnight,” Jaehyun says. He puts the phone down and turns towards Sicheng, smiling sweetly. “Happy birthday.”


End file.
